All houses have similar elements. Though building materials and sizes vary, they have a roof, walls, doors and windows. Bigger differences in design and appearance emerge when comparing homes built in different eras. You can even come up with a rough estimate of when a home was constructed based on certain details.
Think of some of the older neighborhoods in Tampa or St. Petersburg, and compare the original homes located there with homes built in the 1950s or ‘60s, or even today. The architectural differences are many, but some of the most fundamental come from the ways people used their homes and the technology available at the time.
One of the most common home types in the country, including this area, during the first part of the 20th century was the bungalow. Notable for its broad eves, generous front porches and interesting details, bungalows can be found in nearly every old neighborhood in Tampa. Built before air conditioning, the high ceilings, large windows and elevated nature allowed for ample air movement. Many also featured sleeping porches to gain as much fresh air as possible. The front porch was used as an additional living space and interactions with neighbors were commonplace. Open windows were common, too, so privacy wasn’t always a given. With automobiles growing in popularity during this time, most bungalows had a detached one-car garage, sometimes with an apartment above. Subdivisions were relatively new and most bungalows were built on standard 50-foot wide lots.
Fast forward to the post-World War II era. Florida became one of the fastest-growing states, the automobile had gone from luxury to necessity, and suburbs were popping up everywhere. A new home style was also sweeping the nation – the ranch. Born in California, the ranch-style home was wider than the bungalow and was generally built of concrete block rather than a wood frame. The ceilings were lower (8 feet versus 10 feet or more), the windows a bit smaller and a front stoop or narrow porch replaced the wide and welcoming bungalow porch. They also tended to have an attached garage – one car at first, then the two-car garage became more common. Since land was relatively cheaper during this time, these homes were often built on one and a half or two standard-sized lots.
Chatting with neighbors from the front of the house transitioned to welcoming friends to the backyard, and the backyard patio with its attendant furniture became the status symbol of the neighborhood. Lives were becoming more private, with fencing becoming more popular and the sound of air conditioners drowning out conversations of the next-door neighbors.
As car culture grew, so did the size of garages. The placement of garages within the front façade of homes gave the illusion the home was built for the car, not the driver. Clever architecture can cure this, but often homes were designed by builders with economy and profit in mind rather than form and function. This extends to homes built today with the “look” of a historic Mediterranean Revival home from the 1920s. Still, upon closer inspection, it has pretend features: fake balconies, false parapets, faux multi-pane windows and columns made of Styrofoam rather than stone.
All of this is not to say that old homes are better than new, or that ranch homes are better than bungalows. They all have their place, and the wide variety that we see can lend an element of interest to our neighborhoods.
Want to read more about Tampa Bay’s rich history? Or if you’re looking to advertise with us, click here.
